Chapter 1

Religious And Peace

First: Working Papers

1 –Islam and Peace

                                                                        H.E. Shaikh Fawzi Fadhel Al Zafzaf

            Following the 11^th of September incidents, enemies of Islam

Started spreading rumors that Islam was connected to tourism and terrorism was linked to Islam. This is the fraudulent claim propagated by the enemies of Islam to conspire against the religion, while in reality Islam is the religion of security, safety and affection. Numerous Koranic verses and Prophetic saying show that Islam is closely connected to peace, Islam forbids attacking the soul, honor or property of a Muslim or of non-Muslim.

In God’s words; “That if anyone slew person, unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land, it would be as if he slew the whole people…” and in the Prophet’s (Prayers and Peace be upon Him) words: “The Muslim is whoever people feel safe from his tongue and hand”, while another saying by the Prophet (Prayers and Peace be upon Him) goes:

“Whoever hurts a person from another faith would become my enemy on judgment day”.

            Islam linked fighting to self-defense or to protecting the faith and not out of love of warfare, this is confirmed by God’s words”.

*Head of El Azhar Permanent Committee for Inter-religious Dialogue.

            Islam established many humanitarian rules and regulations that should be observed by Muslims during war, like making peace with their enemy if they show an inclination towards peace, or if he raises a white flag to surrender as stated in the Holy Koran: “If they lean towards peace lean towards too…” the Koran also stresses refraining from hurting the weak especially the elderly, women and children, and from destroying crops or animal wealth, throughout history these orders were demonstrated by numerous examples, one of the most outstanding examples was the Muslim Khalifa Abi Bakr El Sedik’s advising his military leader Ossama Bin Zeid of the following orders:

“Do not kill an old man, a child or a woman, do not cut down a palm tree or a fruitful tree, and do not slaughter a cow or camel except to eat…”

            It is also wrong to confuse Islam as a faith, a law, orders and

Morals with the behavior of some people who call themselves Muslims, but who no longer follow Islamic principles. This phenomenon is not particular to the Islamic religion, it can also be seen in other religions and beliefs like Christianity and Judaism. An example is the way Christian Serbs behaved towards Muslims from Bosnia Herzegovina, while all true Christians condemned the Serb’s behavior. The problem is in the way most media channels in the United States and in some European countries focus on this incorrect idea of linking Islam with terrorism, while justice and fairness require that the act be attributed to the perpetrator and not to his religion.

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2-Religions Versus the Challenge of Peace

 from the Christian Perspective

Dr. Youssef Kamal El- Hag*

          According to the message issued by the late Pope John XXIII

More than 40 years ago, and which was entitled “Peace on Earth” no social peace could be established without 4 cornerstones: truth; justice, affection and freedom. Two months prior to Pope John XXIII

Death he dedicated this paper to researching all aspects of peace. The message was his last message to the world and received an unprecedented universal approval that transcended all religious, as well as all sectarian and political differences. The Papal message pointed that peace is centered around the human being’s basic rights and the duties accompanying those rights constituted the main axis of public welfare, whether at the level of each individual country or at the level of the entire universal human race.

            The “Peace on Earth” message changed the existing equation of the twosome of war and peace, which said “If you seek security prepare for war”. And became “If you seek security prepare for peace” thus the case of war”. Peace became a four-sided divine order, which had its proper substance, philosophy, path, goals and special culture.

*Counselor to the Committee of International Relations with Muslims affiliated to the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. 

The day of “Prayer for peace”. Which gathered the biggest number of religious dignitaries in history, including 30 Muslims. This gathering showed the religious dignitaries strong resolve to face the phenomenon of the spread of violence and hatred on earth in the name of religion, this resolve was developed in the historic document issued by this meeting and which was called the “Ten Assize Principles on Peace”. And which included the following:

• To pledge to abandon all violence and war in the name of God or religion, all followers of religions have to do their utmost to uproot the causes of terrorism.
• To promise to raise members of various ethnic, cultural and religious groups to respect and value each other, in order to attain brotherly coexistence between them.
• To pledge to support the culture of dialogue among individuals and people as a preamble to establishing real peace.
• To be prepared to defend every human being right to a decent life in accordance with his cultural identity, and his right to freely establish his own family.
• To refuse to conside3r differences between religions an insurmountable obstacle.
• To pledge to forgive all past and present injustices.
• To pledge to champion the poor and the weak.
• To promise to embody the cries of those who refuse to capitulate to violence and evil.
• To encourage efforts aiming to strengthen friendship between people.
• To pledge to push rulers of nations to exert efforts to establish a world of solidarity and peace based on national and international justice.

Religions have four fateful missions: the first is to educate inhabitants of the earth, especially the new generations, about the four principles of peace. The second is to remind the rulers of the nations that in order for peace to prevail in the political reality of nations, the rights of individuals and groups should also be respected. The third is to remind the international community that peace is an individual entity, and that the role of religions here should transcend just reminding, to help establish an international authority that would have necessary powers to oversee the international community welfare. The fourth is that religions should recover real peace between them, through mutual appreciation, true affection, magnanimous forgiveness and continuous and fruitful dialogue. Finally I will repeat words pronounced by Pope John Paul II in a 1998 meeting: “The position of the Church and of individual Christian towards other religions is governed by honest respect, deep empathy, and friendly cooperation, wherever and whenever this is possible and propitious”.

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3 – Religious Freedoms for

Non- Muslims in Islamic Society

Mr. Salah Eldin Kaftaro

I will directly broach the subject to give you a picture of public religious freedoms enjoyed by non- Muslims in an Islamic society throughout history.

      First: Freedom of belief, freedom of practicing religious rites and of safeguarding

*General Director of the Shaikh Ahmad Kaftaro Complex in Damascus.

Second: freedom of thought and education, as spreading education among all social groups was one of the bases established by Islam to build society in the Islamic nation. There is no Islamic law that prohibits non-Muslims to think freely, to get an education or to establish their own schools in keeping with their religious principles.

A proof of the freedom enjoyed by non-Muslims, is the Prophet “Prayers and Peace be upon Him” returning all the Torahs, which fell into the hands of Muslims following the Khyber victory, to their Jewish owners.

      Third: Freedom of travel, as non-Muslims could travel everywhere within the Islamic State, wherever and whenever they wished. The Prophet’s “Prayers and Peace be upon Him” agreement with the Christians in Ayala (close to the Gulf of Akaba) reiterated their right to travel freely by sea or land to pursue trade.

      Fourth: freedom of work, of employment and occupying government posts: there is nothing in the Islamic law that bars non- Muslims from being employed in any profession or posts, except posts of a religious nature. Throughout the Islamic State various eras, many non-Muslims occupied important executive position, and enjoyed the right to practice all their delegates in representative councils.

      Fifth:  Social freedom, non-Muslims were never forbidden the right to practice all their own social activities within a framework of warmth between them and their fellow Muslims, in application of the Lord’s words: “God forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for your faith nor drive you out of your home, from dealing kindly and justly with them, for God loveth those who are just”.

Prophet “Prayers and Peace be upon Him” always visited non-Muslims who were sick, and non-Muslims religious celebrations were common in Islamic society. The dwellings of non- Muslims were never separated from the dwellings of their fellow Muslims, as was the case in many countries of the world in relation to ethnic minorities.

      Finally, based on the fact about the oneness of religion that gathered all members of humanity under one umbrella, I have to reiterate that this divine religion can change the map of the world by turning it into an ideal space for collective living for followers of all divine religions, within a framework of mutual recognition of the right of each other to live in peace each on their lands, of their right to have their holy shrines and to have their specificities respected, and finally it will also make the world submit to the arbitration of eternal divine laws. I also invite Arab followers of divine religions to play a more effective role towards the problems of Palestine and Iraq, and I suggest establishing a joint Islamic-Christian committee to communicate with international religious, intellectual and humanitarian organizations in order to bring to light all the human rights violations that occur in the world, especially in Palestine and Iraq.

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Second: Discussions

Participants had the following opinions and comments:

·         Peace and harmony between Christianity and Islam are deeply

Rooted in time, even if they differ in some of their beliefs they both enjoin what is just and forbid what is wrong. They fuse into the melting pot of a unique God, which unites them on an affection that should be embodied by acts and not just emotions, especially under the harsh conditions they both have face in the Arab region.

Especially on the land of Palestine, where Muslim and Christian Palestinians are exposed to the worst kind of injustice and persecution, and still ask for based on international resolutions, through the

Creation of two independent states. All Palestinians will never give up their fair demands no matter how much pressure is put on them.

·         Islam and Christianity have coexisted in the region since the establishment of the Islamic State, this coexistence was reiterated by “El Omareya Pledge” made to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and was embodied by Muslims protecting Churches since then and until the present time. This confirms that the culture of peace and dialogue should be based on acts and not on altercations; they should also be based on acts and demeanor and not on altercations; they should also based on conviction and on the common factors shared by the two religions.

·         In spite of the established coexistence and affection between religions, the problem we face today is in the first place due to political reasons, foremost lack of justice in the universe embodied in a blatant manner by dictating decisions, and by imposing control and demeaning conditions on people under the umbrella of globalization.

·         The term “Crusaders” was first coined in the west linking politics with religion, while Muslims called those wars the “European Wars”. President George W. Bush linked his invasion of the world to religion when he claimed that his mission was to spread welfare and democracy in the world, while a small group of Muslims caused Islam to be linked with terrorism. International public opinion recognized in the September 11 incidents once again connected Islam and terrorism in people’s minds.

·         Sometimes there is a contradiction between what is senior religious scholars say in closed meeting rooms about tolerance, moderation and peace, and what junior religions scholars do in other locations, like inciting people towards extremism and radicalism, which put the ordinary citizens at a crossroad between the two trends, especially that they feel that some governments support radical movements.

·         Scientific programs as well as Islamic and Christian ideological results should both have courage to enable both parties to draft a common course for peace. Realization of peace and giving people in Palestine, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon their rightful rights cannot be separated.

·         Calling for peace under the current excesses could be more evil than war itself.

Third: Comments

H.E. Shaikh Fawzi Fahdel Al Zafzaf

            I will be the first to join in calling for banning wars because

Islam does not condone the killing of innocents, nor does not condone the senseless killing of human beings, because we are propagandist of peace, security and safety. But you have to direct your question to world leaders who dedicate their might to attack others. Look at the power that rules the world, it controls and directs wars, we all read what the propagandist of freedom and human rights did in the Abu Ghraib prison, could Sharon have done what he did to the Palestinians, such as destroying their infrastructure, killing innocent people, uprooting trees and raking agriculture lands, without American weapons and American support?

            In answer to the question about the role of religious scholars in preaching peace, I would say that numerous and varied factors influence society, there are media channels, schools and different environmental conditions, so what would a religious scholar do when he preaches sublime principles and is faced with school curricula, media channels and families that encourage bigotry?

            There is a huge gap between religious as directives, laws, principles and morals on one the other side. But nevertheless we are all required to abide by to those principles, values and morals.

            I would also like to comment on the issue that invitation to peace might be more evil than war, by saying that there is a difference between and capitulation, and invites the Muslim to defend himself, his property and his honor. The Prophet “Prayers and Peace be upon Him” says: Whoever is killed is killed in self-defense is a martyr and whoever is killed in defense of his honor is a martyr”.

Dr. Youssef Kamal El- Hag

            Peace without its four pillars: truth, justice, affection and freedom, becomes a meaningless word. If the world would like to establish peace on solid bases the entire world order should be reviewed, in order to take away the power of interpreting the concept of “Right” from individual countries, and entrust it to an effective international authority.

            I do not agree that the invitation to peace can be worse than war, since we want peace as a value, because it constitutes the foundation of societies. Furthermore there are no standards for real justice at the national level, and no effective means to apply them, but this should not force us to deviate from the main goal, which is to make every effort to reach peace.

             I will discuss from a Christian perspective, the contradiction between some religious directives, as well the position of Christianity towards other religions. Throughout history, prayers that were introduced here and there called for everything except peace with other religions, which made Pope John Paul XXIII< decide to amend some prayers recited on Great Friday. The prayers contained words that offended Islam and Judaism, currently all followers of the way Christianity perceives Islam.

            The issue of peace is not the concern of politicians alone, so what roles are civil societies and religions going to play? Who said that political leaders are the only guardians of values that should govern society? We are all invited to contribute to peace, and as His Holiness Pope John Paul II said: “Every citizen is a soldier of peace, as well as its guardian and he has to raise his voice in order to establish the pillars of this peace”.

            I completely condemn clerics who misbehave, but how can you condemn acts and correct situations if the concept is basically unclear?

This is because the layman does not understand the meaning of peace, except as the opposite of war, while peace is much bigger than just refraining from fighting.

            It is undeniable that there are acts that violate peace, and that these acts are performed by followers of religions and not only by people who have no religion, this is the reason religious scholars held the “Second Assisi” to server the link between violence and religion, as well as between resentment, hatred, racism and religion, for that reason everybody is required to cooperate for the sake of peace.